Interview with Martin Essl, who as an entrepreneur has experienced the advantages of employing people with disabilities. As the founder and initiator of the Zero Project, he is now committed to their full participation in society.
Museum Guide: Why do we need inclusive art education?
Martin Essl: Because it is a legal right. By ratifying the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2008, Austria has also committed itself to enabling people with disabilities to fully participate in all social achievements. And of course, this also includes museums, which are largely publicly funded.
Museum Guide: What does an inclusive museum look like to you?
Martin Essl: Inclusive art creates places where people with and without disabilities can meet and experience things together. Art broadens our perspective. It must be made an option, but without being forced. Inclusive art education should be available to all people - with and without disabilities.
Museum Guide: Does that mean that inclusive art education also enriches the lives of people without disabilities?
Martin Essl: We all have the need to experience things with as many of our senses as possible, so that these experiences stay in our memories for much longer. You can see this in sculptures in public spaces, which are completely smooth in some places because people can also feel them. And why shouldn't the vibration of a bass be exciting for a hearing person?
Museum Guide: To what extent do the actions of climate activists hinder the willingness of museums to make their works accessible in this way?
Martin Essl: Of course, a work of art must be preserved, but there are a number of ways and technologies to make selected objects inclusively accessible. It is already the case that people who visit a museum do not remember every work that is on display there.
Museum Guide: Is it possible to make any art inclusive?
Martin Essl: As part of the Zero Project, we are also looking for innovative approaches to inclusive art education. The examples show what is already possible today and are intended to be an inspiration - for museums, but also for the community of people with disabilities who recognize which new developments are taking place where.
| About the Zero Project Every year, more than 1,000 experts from the global Zero Project network select the most innovative and effective "practices and policies" on one of the four core themes of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: accessibility, employment, education, independent living and political participation. The topic of information and communication technology (ICT) is a regular focus of the Zero Project's work, as is the search for best practices in inclusive art education. These calls for nominations result in around 500 submissions from over 100 countries every year. 70-80 award-winning projects are presented at the annual Zero Project Conference at the UN headquarters in Vienna and in the accompanying Zero Project Report. Details and further information on the activities in Austria can be found at zeroproject.org. |